Hydraulic landing gear



May 4, 1943.

G. J, WINTERMUTE E'rAl.

HYDRAULIC LANDING GEAR Filed March 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

FIRE

E v. WH MC. mBv. w .J J. f ...D uw. @NM GD May 4, 1943. G. J. wlNTr-:RMUTE ETAL 2,318,568

HYDRAULIC LANDING GEAR Filed March 15, 1940 '5 Sheets-sheet s IN1/wrak GEORGE J. WmTERMuTE 5,/ Dnvuo E.,BENCH A Arrows/frs Patented May 4, 1943 UNITED 'STATES PAT ENTA O FF 4|-IiCE to 4The Commonwealth Engineering Company of Ohio, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application Maren 15, 1940, seria1-N0.324,l1-6t 8 Claims.

This invention relates to 'airplane landing gears and more particularly to an; airplane landinggearwherein provision is madefortaking'up horizontal shockimposed upon 'the landing 'gear during take-oli, taxiing, and landing.

It is an object of the .present invention to 'provide a landing gear which is adapted `'to vtake up horizontal shock imposed on it Vwhile'the airplane is in contact with the earth.

Another object is to provide :a landing gear of the foregoing type wherein provision i's made for exclusively taking up horizontal shock, independently of the meansconventionall'y provided for taking up vertical'shock.

Another object is to provide a landing'ge'ro'f the foregoingrtype wherein th'elanding 'gear is maintain-ed'solid until a horizontal sh'o'ck ofipredetermined magnitude is imposed on "it, 'whereupon it is adapted to yield and `absorb 'tliissho'ck so as to prevent injury to the landing vgearancl'to the airplane. Minor horizontal shocks do not cause undue injury to 'the airplaneor the landing gear, but excessive horizontal shock'siof'gre'at magnitude frequently Acause injury'to thelanding gear and to the airplane itself, iin' some cases causing nosing over and other diioulties.

Another'object is to `provide a landing-'gear of thetype describ'edinthe preceding object Wherein the value of the horizontal' sho'ckr'which isrequired before 'the 'horizontal shock absorbing system is brought vinto action, is adjustable.

yStill other objects will more fully hereinafter appear.

In 'the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is a bottom perspectivelooling rearwardly of an airplane equipped with `a typical wing-enclosed retractable landing geanenibodying one form of 'horizontal shock absorber of the present invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectionthrough a wing and the shock absorber 'cylinder of the aircraft of Fig. 1. c

Fig. 3 is 'a diagrammatic 'view showing the-hydraulic circuit employed inthe v'system of Figs. 1 and 2; 'this view's'hows howthe Ahydraulic liquid for the actuation f the shock absorber is taken ol of the pressure output li'n'e Acrnhri'nly provided in the modern 'airplane "for "the actuation of retraction mechanism, gun turrets, etc;

Fig. 4 isa've'rtical longituihna'l sectionthr'ii'gh a retracting landing gear mounted in an 'utboard Vmot-or nacelle and equipped with yhorizontal shock absorber means involving '.the'pinciplesof fthe present invention.

F-ig. 5 is a-"sirnilar view'of another 'type of 'retracting landing gear mounted in an outboard motor '-na'celle andernbodyin'g the principles of the presenteinvention; Y v

Fig. '6 portrays-still another modification yand is a sideelevation of 'a landing wheel carriedon a landing strut, the `meansjfor taking-up horizontal shock A4being 'interposed V'betweenthe conventional `vertical shock Iabsorber and thewheel axis.

Fig. V'7 ls a perspective of yanother ytornooi the invention' Where'inthe'landing'wheels are mounted o'n aca'rriage which is Nslidable fore andaft, the 'rearward 'movement of the'carriage being restrained in-accordance"with the principles of y the present invention.

-Fig is asimilar view of 'apo'nt'oon type landing'g'ear.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and-'first more particularly to Figs. l and '21,'the airplane body I comprises the wings 2, 'below' 'which are mounted the wheels 4'of a .retractable landing gearftlres'ewheels beingdes'ignated vThe retractable covering for 'the 'Wheels "is designated' It. The wheels 3 kare pivotallyrnounted at'the lower ndof Wheel vvstruts 5, which are telescopica'lly mounted'witl'iin 'aholliovv strut 6, shockabsorber means o'f the jlls'al ltype being -interposed between'struts`5 .and''a'nd being adapted to norm'ally push the vi'heel 3 `downwardly but toyleld in response to'vertic'al shockso as Yto allow the wheel '3 t'o rise upwardly relative t'o the airplane I. `The vertical strut 6 is integrally attached to a horizontal hydraulico cylinder A'I which takes up horizontal shock land also serves as 'a hinge or pivot point .for 'the landing gear during epltension 'and retraction. The retraction rn'ecnanismis notshow'n in detail and, as'will be understood, is of the conventional type. An inclined strut 8 `is provided for supporting the landing gear Vd'ownvvardly during landing 'and take-off, this 'strut 8 being connected to the strut 6 through V"theinterinediary of the universal joint!) and being 'connected at its other 'end 'to the airplane I 'or suitable retraction mechanism through universal joint Ii).

The hydraulic cylinder 1 is mounted for movement fore Aand aftrelative to the airplane. This is eiec'ted by havin'g'thefcylinder 'I slid'ably 'ehgage a piston "I'I. Integralwith piston `IIi'sthe.

longitudinally extending piston rod I2 which is xedly carri'ed by 'th .spars I3 in the Wing 2. The piston rod VYI2 is mounted so -as to be substantially 'parallel to th'e'plane'of normal flight.

It :Will .be understood, .howevrftha-t itifr'ay be.

mounted 'so 'as nto'16e"parallel tothe earth during a three point landing, because it would still be substantially horizontal during take-off or landing with the tail up. The ends of cylinder 1 are closed by the caps I4 which` are provided with the usual sealing glands for slidably engaging the piston rod I2 during a fore and aft movement of the wheel 3.

The wheels 3 and the cylinders `1 are normally urged to their forwardmost position, by reason of the maintenance of hydraulic pressure in the cylinder 1 ahead of the piston Il. pressure is adapted to -be supplied to this space from the conduit I5 which is in communication with a bore I6 in piston rod I2, this bore I6 being in communication with the space aheadof piston II by means of the right angle bore I1.

In Fig. 3, there is illustrated a typical mode of taking oi pressure liquid from the hydraulic pump commonly supplied with the aircraft and thereby actuating the hydraulic cylinder 1 in the desired manner. The pump is designated as I8 and is of the one-way constant delivery type, such as a gear pump. It will be understood that if no pump is available on the aircraft for the operation of other hydraulic mechanisms, one must be provided for the system of Figs. 1 to 3. The pump I8 draws liquid by conduit I9 from a tank 28 and supplies it under pressure tolthe conduit I5 which is in communication with the space ahead of piston II. After the cylinder 1 is moved all of the way forward, the output of the pump I8 is by-passed through a conduit 2l, a relief valve 22 and a conduit 23 to the tank 20. The relief valve 22 is provided with an adjusting means 24 for adjusting the point at which bypassing occurs and at which liquid' is allowed to pass from the interior of cylinder 1 through the relief valve 22.

The operation of the embodiment of Figs. l to 3 is as follows: l

The cylinder 1 and the wheel 3 are maintained at their forwardmost position shown in the drawings by reason of the pressure supplied by pump I8, this pressure being by-passed through relief valve 22 after the piston II bottoms in the cylinder 1. Should a small horizontal shock tending to move the wheel 3 rearwardlybe encountered, it will have no effect, the system remaining solid. However, should a horizontal shock of magnitude equal to or greater than that required tomove the cylinder 1 rearwardly and cause discharge of liquid therefrom through the relief valve 22 be encountered, the cylinderl 1 will be forced rearwardly and will thus allow wheel 3 to be moved rearwardly. Immediately upon the removal of this shock, the relief valve 22 will close and the output of pump I8 will be eifect'ive to return the cylinder 'I and the wheel 3 totheir forwardmost positions. During take-off, vertical shocks are separately taken care of by the conventional vertical shock absorber system provided within the strut 6. The universal joints 9 and I0 allow the movement of the wheel 3, the struts 5 and 6 and the cylinder 1 fore and aft, relative to the air plane I.

If it is desired to change the magnitude of horizontal shock required to move the wheel 3 rearwardly, this can be effected by adjusting Vthe set screw 24 so as to change the pressure at which relief valve 22 will operate.

Modification of Figure 4 In this modification, the wheel 3 is carried in the engine nacelle 25 and is .retractable upwardly Liquid under zontal plane.

end of a strut 26 which operates telescopically within the vertical shock absorber cylinder 21 which contains the usual mechanism for normally urging the wheel 3 downwardly and for allowing it to rise upwardly in response to vertical shock. The cylinder 21 is pivotally attached at 28a to the lower end of a link 28 which is pivoted to a xed part of the airplane at 29. A hydraulic retraction cylinder `or jack 30 of the usual type is provided for extending and retracting the wheel 3, this cylinder being pivoted at a xed part of the airplane at 3l and being provided with the telescoping link 32 which is pivoted to the link 28 at 33. This is a conventional type of retraction mechanism, the extension-of link 32 causing links 28 and 21 to form in effect a single rigid link. An inclined strut 84 is pivoted at its forward end at 35 to the shock absorber cylinder 21 and at its rear end to a longitudinally slidable block 38 which operates between the guides 31.

The horizontal shock absorbing system comprisesV the hydraulic shock cylinder 38 xedly mounted with respect to the nacelle 25 as by means of the bracket 39 attached to the nacelle partition 4D. Slidably disposed within the cylinder 38 is the piston 4I which is rigidly connected to the block 36 by the piston rod 42. Hy

vdraulic liquid under pressure is supplied by conduitl I5 which is attached to cylinder 38 and which delivers liquid into the space behind piston 4|, the arrangement shown constituting an inversion of the arrangement of Figs. 1 to 3v wherein the piston was fixed and the cylinder movable.

The operation of the device of Fig. 4 is substantially the same as that of the device of Figs. 1 to 3, the horizontal shock imposed upon wheel 3 being transmitted to the piston 4I and when it exceeds a certain value, forcingfpiston 4I rearwardly in the stationary cylinder 38. The vertical shock is taken up independently by the vertical shock absorber 21. The pivot 28a allows fore and aft movement of the wheel 3.

Modification of Figure 5 In Figure 5, the wheel 3 is mounted on a wheel strut 43 which is telescopically associated with a vertical shock absorber cylinder 44. A link 45 is pivotally attached at 46 to the lower end of cylinder 44. A link 41 pivotally engaging the nacelle 25 at 48 cooperates with the link 45 to hold the pivot point 46 against fore and aft movement. Links 41 and 45 are pivoted to one another and to a retraction link 49 at the pivot point 58. The retraction link 49 telescopically operates within the retraction cylinder 5I which is pivoted to the engine nacelle at 52. The foregoing constitutes a conventional retractable landing gear.

Provision of taking up horizontal shock imposed on wheel 3 is as follows:

The horizontal shock absorbing cylinder 53 is fixedly mounted with respect to the airplane in any suitable manner and in a substantially hori- Fixedly carried by cylinder 53 in any suitable manner is the guide plate 54 which has a slot 55 guiding the pin 56 mounted at the upper end of shock absorbing cylinder 44. A link 51 is pivoted at one end to the piston rod 58 of the piston 59 and at the other end is contherento. The wheel is'mounted on the lower 775V nected either pivotally or fixedly to the pin 56.`

Thus, as a rearwardly-directed horizontal shock 1s imposed on wheel 3, the pin 58 tends to move forwardly and thistends to move-the 4piston 59 forwardly in cylinder 53 and vrthereby 'to `force pressure liquid from the space in front of piston 59 outwardly 'through Ithe `supply `conduit I5 which is connected to a pump and Vrelief valve in thesame manner as that shown .in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 6, there is portrayed a modification wherein the horizontal shock absorber 'means is mounted between the vertical shock absorber means and the wheel axle, the horizontal'shock absorber mechanism adding to the vunsprun'g weight of the landing gear. The conventional vertical shock absorber cylinder 6i! 'is pivoted or flxedly attached in any suitable manner at its upper end to the airplane bodyand may be'additionally supported bythe rearwardly extending strut 6I. Telescopically operating within .the cylinder 60 is the strut '62 which is .prevented in any suitable manner from rotating relative to the airplane. Integrally carried at the lower end of strut 62 is a horizontal shock absorbing cylinder '63 within which is adapted to operate the hydraulic piston 64. Piston 64 is integral with a plunger or piston rod '55 which is fxedly attached in any suitable manner to the yoke 6'6 which carries the wheel 3 in any suitable manner. Integrally formed on the upper inner vface of the yoke 66 is a longitudinal guide ilange or spline 61 which slidably engages corresponding slots formed in the guiding ears which are downward extensions of the caps l(i8 of the cylinder 63. These guiding ears and the fspline or ange B'i cooperate to prevent rotation of the wheel about the axis of plunger 65. 'I'he pressure liquid is supplied to the space behind piston 64 by means of the exble conduit l which extends along the shook absorbing strut B into communication with the interior of cylinderSB.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a rearwardly directed horizontal shock upon the wheel 3 will tend to urge the piston 64 rearwardly into the cylinder 63, tending to expel the liquid outwardly through the supply conduit l5. The hydraulic connections are the same as those shown in Figure 3 above.

Modification of Figures 7 and 8 In these modiiications,` the llanding members such as the `wheels 3 or the pontoons 69 are xedly Vattached in any vsuitable manner `to a carriage 10 which is provided with longitudinally extending rods 'l which extend slidablythrough flanged supports l2 which 'are attached in any suitable manner to the airplane body. Thus, the carriage 'l0 is freely slidable longitudinally with respect to the airplane body except for the restraint aorded by the horizontal shock Yabsorbing system presently to be described. This vsystem comprises a horizontally disposed hydraulic cylinder 13 which is xedly attached in any suitable manner to the airplane so as to berestrained against longitudinal movement relative thereto. Cylinder 13 contains a hydraulic piston which is integral with or lxedly attached to Va plunger or piston rod T4 which is flxedly attached at its forward end to the carriage 1.0 Ain -any suitable manner. Instead of a single hydraulic cylinder and piston, a plurality may be provided. If desired, a shockabsor-bing cylinder corresponding to 13 may be mounted ahead of the carriage 'l5 and provided with a piston which is supplied with hydraulic liquid. The hydraulic shock absorbing cylinder 13 is supplied with hydraulic liquid behind the 'piston .of rits cylinder in the same `manner as 'that described above.

The operation 'of the'nro'dications of Figs. 7 and 8 will be obvious'fromthe foregoing; Should a horizontal shock of undue magnitude be rencountered, the landing gear and carriage i0 will move rearwardly, the 'piston'in cylinder vLs expelling vthe liquid therefrom inthe same manner as is described above.

It vwill beseen from the yforegoing that the present invention provides for the attainment ofthe objects setout above,"in a simple and economical manner. The invention brings about these results in 'a highly effective manner. By segregating-the labsorption of horizontal shock from the absorption of vertical shock, these shocks'aretaken-care of independently, and the.

ratio of their magnitudes may be varied widely. Thus, there is no xed ratio between the horizontal and vertical components of a -givenangularly directed'shock, and there is no change in the possible ratio depending upon the extent of compression of the vertical shock absorbing-system. Where reference is made herein to substantially horizontal, it is to be understood that this comprehends disposition substantially parallel to theline of ght or substantially parallel to the ground, the .present invention providing mechanism exclusively directedto the'absorption of shocks which aresubstan'tially parallel to the groundeither in landing or take-off.

We wish it to be understood "that numerous modifications maybe made from the embodiments lshown in the-drawings without departing from the spirit ci theinvention. For example, the horizontal shock absorbing systems shown may be replaced by systems which are not solid up toa certain point but which allow the landing gear to yieldingly move fore and aft during the landing or take-ofi. This result might be accomplished -by adjusting the relief valve 22 so as to allow the motive element of the shock absorbing cylinder totravel in suchfdirection as'to allow the landing member to move rearwardly under the influence of practically any horizontal shock.

The same result may be accomplished by replacing' the hydraulic mechanism shown with any conventional shock absorbing system, such as an oleo stru-t, which is adapted to urge the landing member-forwardly at all times but to yieldingly allow it -to be moved rearwardly underthe influence of hori-zontal shocks. Similarly, other suitable shock absorber systems may be employed, such as springs, lpneumatic shock'absorbers, and the like. It is not necessary that the shock absorber for taking up horizontal shock be disposed horizontally provided it isso arranged Vby linkages or the like that rearward movement of the Wheel tends to yieldingly move the motive element of the `shock `absorber in a direction opposite to -that in which it normally tends to be urged. Modifications may be made in the hydraulic system shown. For example, a variable delivery pump may be substituted for the fixed delivery pump shown, provision Vbeing made for shifting this pumpautomatically to neutral upon the attainment of Va predetermined pressure in the output line, 'a relief valve adapted to operate upon theatta-inment of a somewhat higher pressure than that required to shift the pump to neutral, being employed. `Likewise, 'otherv methods of allowing relief of the hydraulic cylinder may be employed, such as a hydraulic accumulator or the like. These, and other modifications obvious to those skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the inventive spirit, -and the invention is to be construed as limited only as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an airplane, an airplane body, a landing member, means constructed and arranged for mounting said landing member upon said body so that said member is movable relative to said body in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, and hydraulic means having a constant resistance force connected with said mounting means for absorbing the forward velocity of said body upon initial landing contact of said landing member with the ground.

2. In an airplane, an airplane body, a landing member carried thereby, means constructed and arranged for mounting said landing member upon said body so that it is movable fore and aft relative to said body in a substantially horizontal plane, and hydraulic means having substantially constant pressure applied thereto for taking up rearwardly directed horizontal movement of said landing member to absorb forward velocity of said body-upon initial landing contact of said landing member with the ground, said lastna-med means being solid to horizontal forward velocity of less magnitude than said pressure butJ yielding to horizontal forward velocity of a magnitude equal to or greater than said pressure.

3. In an airplane, an airplane body, a landing member carried thereby, means carried by said body for mounting said member on said body so that it is movable rearwardly relative thereto in a substantially horizontal plane, and hydraulic means having constant pressure applied thereto for resisting said movement to absorb a part of the forward velocity of said body upon initial contact of the landing element with the ground, said absorbing means remaining in full absorbing ipostion until the rearwardly acting force due to forward velocity of said plane is less than the pressure resisting said movement, and means for adjusting the value of said pressure.

4. In an airplane, an airplane body, a landing member carried thereby, means carried by said body for mounting said member on said-body so that it is movable rearwardly relative thereto in a substantially horizontal plane, and hydraulic means having constant; pressure applied thereto for resisting said movement to absorb a part of the forward velocity of said body upon initial Contact of the landing element with the groimd, said absorbing means remaining in full absorbing position until the rearwardly acting force due to forward velocity of said plane is less than the pressure resisting said movement.

5. In an airplane, an airplane body, ailanding member carried thereby and mounted thereon so as to be movable fore and aft relatively thereto in a substantially horizontal plane, means interposed between said member and said body for resisting rearward movement of said member in response to a substantially horizontal shock comprising as elements a hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic piston therein, one of said elements moving with said member as said member moves in said plane and the other of said elements being fixedly carried by said body, a hydraulic pump, means connecting the output of said pump to said cylinder on the side of said piston such that said output urges said member forwardly, and means connected to said connecting means for by-passingV the output of said pump after a predetermined pressure is developed in said connecting means and for exhausting liquid from said cylinder at said predetermined pressure upon movement of said member rearwardly in response to a horizontal shock of a magnitude exceeding the force normally exerted on said piston -by said output to prevent pressure build-up in said cylinder with consequent rebound of said member.

6. In an aircraft, a body, a landing member, means'carried by said body and constructed and arranged for suspending said member from said body to permit independent vertical and horizontal movement thereof including means for absorbing vertical shock imposed upon said member and hydraulic means for maintaing a predetermined horizontal position oi' said member with respect to said body, means supplying uid to said hydraulic means at substantially constant pressure, and exhaust means for said hydraulic means for collapsing of said hydraulic means against said constant pressure to absorb a part of the forward Ivelocity of said plane without a pressure increase in said hydraulic means and consequent rebound thereof.

7. In an aircraft, a body, a landing member, means carried by said body and constructed and arranged for suspending said member from said body to permit independent vertical and horizontal movement thereof including means for absorbing vertical shock imposed upon said member and hydraulic means for maintaininga -determined position of said member with respect to said body under all normal landing and taxiing loads, means supplying iiuid to said hydraulic means at-substantially constant pressure, and exhaust means for said hydraulic means for collapsing of said hydraulic means against said constant pressure to absorb a part of the forward velocity of said plane upon initial landing contact of said aircraft with the ground without a pressure increase in said hydraulic means and consequent rebound.

8. In an aircraft, a body, a landing member, means `carried by said body and constructed and arrangedfor suspending said member from said ibody to permit independent vertical and horizontal movement thereof including means for absorbing vertical shock imposed upon said member and hydraulic means for maintaining a determined position of said member with respect to said body under all normal landing and taxiing loads, means supplying fluid to said hydraulic means at substantially constant pressure, and exhaust means for said hydraulic means for collapsing of said hydraulic means against said constant pressure to absorb a part of the forward velocity of said plane upon initial landing contact of said aircraft with the ground withouta pressure increase in said hydraulic means and consequent rebound, said constant pressure acting upon said hydraulic means to return said hydraulic means to its predetermined horizontal position with respect to said body when the force of forward velocity of said body is less than said pressure.

GEORGE J. WINTERMUTE. DAVID E. BENCH. 

